September 23, 2002

3:57 AM

Cats Can Be Workaholics Too, You Know!Some, like Doncaster's sixteen pest-control experts, hate being out of work so much they're desperately looking for new fields of employment. Others are important tools of bibliographic research. Non-intellectual types prefer police work and other less desk-bound jobs. Shopcat.com has compiled a state index of these working stiffs so grateful citizens may more easily seek them out and warmly shake their paws: Good work, guys! How can anyone still imply you're a bunch of lazy, selfish bastards whose breath smells of cat food? [ My favourite employee, who's many a time given me her signature cold-shoulder treatment is Matilda, the official recepcionist and furniture-duster at the Algonquin Hotel in New York.]
posted by MiguelCardoso (13 comments total)

Doncaster, eh. My neck of the woods.
posted by robzster1977 at 4:22 AM on September 23, 2002

Towser was the first working cat I ever encountered. Sadly, he seems to have passed on. But 28,889 mice caught...wow.
posted by Cyrano at 5:40 AM on September 23, 2002

Fup works at a bookstore in Portland, Oregon. I couldn't find her when I visited :(sn
posted by carter at 6:21 AM on September 23, 2002

Oh, and if you're lucky, here you can see some cats taking a break.gt
posted by carter at 6:43 AM on September 23, 2002

when i was in paris recently, the yard of notre dame cathedral was full of black and white cats. an old lady was walking the fence along the seine side and leaving little plastic containers of food and water for them. when the cats saw her they would come running and eat voraciously and then allow her to pet them. i went over to see what she was doing and she said, "non!" and waved me away. my question, i guess, is if the cats are "trapped" in the yard behind the fence, then they must "belong" there and i would assume that they would be fed. so why does the old lady have to feed them? has anyone else seen these cats? they all look the same - black with white paws and faces. there were at least 10.
posted by centrs at 7:44 AM on September 23, 2002

I think a lot of European cities can have sizeable feral cat populations, these are often tended to by li'l ol' ladies who turn up at regular times with plastic bags full of cat food. I guess if the same lol's go to the same place each day they can make f riends with the cats.??
posted by carter at 8:13 AM on September 23, 2002

I remember thinking that it was a bad sign for John Major when, after he lost office, scads of people started worrying about what was going to happen to Humphrey--but nobody expressed any similar concern for Major.
posted by thomas j wise at 8:39 AM on September 23, 2002

yeah, but the cats are locked inside the yard. they can't get out. the lady sticks the food and water through holes in the fence. since there are so many and the cats are all practically identical, i would assume there has been a lot of inbreeding and the cats had been in there a long time. maybe not though. one cat couple could have several litters which would account for so many look alike cats.

as for feral cats, i didn't see a single stray cat in paris though i saw several in little pet carriers at the airport.

usually cats don't eat for the sake of eating. these cats all ran over and ate like they were hungry. what happens when she dies or can't feed them? it seems cruel that they would be trapped in there with no food.
posted by centrs at 8:41 AM on September 23, 2002

Hmmm. Maybe there's a Cruella DeVille angle here ....
posted by carter at 12:38 PM on September 23, 2002

I like kitties.
posted by y2karl at 4:42 PM on September 23, 2002

Dammit, that's the second time this year I've unwittingly pilfered links from you, y2karl. Though I did google the post from, er, scratch. Sorry and thanks are definitely in order!
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:54 PM on September 23, 2002

When the bulldog and I take our walk, we like to stroll down Old Main Street where there is a florist shop with a guard cat. He's a tough old guy with an insouciant air, who allows us to window shop. The shop benefits from his regal presence.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 8:47 PM on September 23, 2002

This link made me very happy on a day that I needed to be made very happy! Thanks, Miguel.
posted by Joey Michaels at 1:25 AM on September 24, 2002